Obtaining these albums: Return to Dr.Progresso
A number of the CDs reviewed here are domestic U.S. releases and as such will be available from any full-service record store like Tower. But a significant number are imports, and much less readily available at your local CD emporium. (I am writing this from a U.S. perspective; if you live elsewhere you may wish to skip over the following.) For that reason, I'm listing here some mail order vendors of imported progressive rock albums. Please note that three of these have CD/record labels of their own: Syn-Phonic, Wayside/Cuneiform, and Laser's Edge. Syn-Phonic has devoted its own releases to overlooked and obscure American progressive bands (mostly from the seventies). Laser's Edge has done that as well as doing the same for some Canadian bands, but has released an equal number of British and German/Swiss albums. Cuneiform has released the albums of the Canadian Miridor, the European Present, and a variety of other quirky independent-minded bands. But all also offer a wide catalog of imports. Shop among them and you'll be able to find anything I've reviewed here.
Doug Larson 62 Crane St. Caldwell NJ 07006 [website: hicom.net/~dlarson] I've used Doug since he set up shop in the late 80's. He's fast, he's dependable, and his prices are competitive. His catalog is now on-line, lists albums by nationality, and is comprehensive. He remains my first choice.
Syn-Phonic P.O. Box 2034 La Habra CA 90631 [phone: 714 893-9506] Greg Walker's Syn-Phonic acts as both a mail-order sales and as a wholesale distributor of imports. The mail order catalog includes brief descriptions of some value.
Wayside Music P.O. Box 8427 Silver Spring MD 20907-8427 [website: members.aol.com/cuneiform2/cuneiform.html] The catalog here is more idiosyncratic, broader-ranging, and filled with both the obscure and the latest.
Laser's Edge P.O.Box 2450 Cherry Hill NJ 08034-0199 [e-mail: lasercd@aol.com] Ken Golden's catalog entries each have a paragraph or so of descriptive text, which can be useful but require that you understand his biases. (He liked Salamander's only album so much that he reissued it on his own label; it remains an embarrassment.) The catalog carries a number of items you'll not find elsewhere (including a back page or two of closeouts at reduced prices, always worth checking out), but service is slow; expect to wait a month for your order. (By contrast, Doug Larson gets your order to you in a few days -- less than a week.)
Tower Records Attention: Bob Karnes 8389E Leesburg Pike Vienna VA 22182 [phone: 703 893-6627] Bob Karnes maintains the best import rock section at the Tysons Corner Tower that I've seen anywhere. It's a great retail experience: two long display sections, back to back. On one side, separated by nationalties (and alphabetical within each nationality), German Rock, Japanese Rock, Italian Rock, French Rock, Spanish Rock, and Scandinavian Rock. On the other side, a long section devoted to Imported Rock (all the British, Canadian, Mexican, and East European imports), and, at the far end, a section for South American Rock. Well-stocked and comprehensive. In addition to walk-in sales, Bob tells me he can also do mail-order. When you're in the Washington, D.C. area, this is definitely the Tower (one of five in the area) to shop for progressive rock imports.